


All's Fair In...

by Niji_Hitomi_Iscariot, Silver_Eternity



Series: The Demon King [3]
Category: Bleach
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Demons, Four Horsemen, Kitsune, M/M, Mpreg, Sex Magic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-24
Updated: 2013-05-24
Packaged: 2017-12-12 20:22:38
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 18,104
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/815646
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Niji_Hitomi_Iscariot/pseuds/Niji_Hitomi_Iscariot, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Silver_Eternity/pseuds/Silver_Eternity
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The boys have settled into their roles as the Horsemen and Consorts nicely, Shiro and Ulquiorra are helping Aizen with the library, Renji and Grimmjow are attempting to untangle the mess the world has become during their hibernation, only Ichigo knows what Ichigo is doing these days, and Gin...Gin is expecting the first litter of Kitsune kits since his own birth, but what is that shadow that keeps following him? And why won't Renji just stop and pay attention for once!!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. New Year's Cravings

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome to Part 2! This centers primarily on Gin and Renji (Kudos to those who get the pun in the title, fu fu fu). Only major warnings for this are gratuitous sex (c'mon we're talking about a kitsune here, how could there not be sex? lol) and mpreg! So those of you who don't like it can scurry away, and I'll come find you when we get past it. For everyone else, enjoy! Ja ne!

 

Gin sighed, a rather uncharacteristic expression for the kitsune who'd become The Jester in the Court of Souls, but it was how he felt. The King, in his naive human way of thinking, had just been given absolute proof that the silver-haired sex demon was indeed carrying kits. Three to be precise, but the rest of the Court didn't need to know that part yet. It would only serve to confuse the humans and excite the Horsemen early. Plus, the fox in him enjoyed the idea of keeping it a surprise.

After all, most of the Court was unaware that every molecule in his body was attuned to his conscious mind. He could even speed up or slow down his heart if he wanted to. It was all part of being a kitsune. He had to be that connected to himself in order to pull off the kinds of transformation, manifestation, and teleportation spells he cast on an almost hourly basis. Heh, try getting from the East building to the kitchen and back again without losing a single tail, let alone from one side of the Veil to the other. So, of course he knew exactly how many kits there were, how big they were, and where each microscopic bundle of cells was growing within him at any given moment. He had to, or he risked losing them on his way to and from the bathroom! Which brought him back around to why he was sighing, alone, in the room he shared with his mate.

War was off handling some conflict, or turning the tide of some insurgency. It would take years if they were lucky to bring peace back to the mortal world. Millennia of humans running their own affairs had, pardon the expression, royally fucked things up. Gin expected that. He knew what he was attempting when he agreed to accept his destiny. He shuddered thinking briefly of the alternative. No, he was glad he'd done what he'd done to find and win Renji. It was just that...according to Ichigo, when a 'woman' learned she was pregnant for the first time, usually the father of her cub was there with her. For all intents and purposes, his mate had been there, but then the King had made the comment that it was a shame the redhead had to miss out on watching the little plastic stick turn colors.

That part wasn't so bad, the kitsune reasoned, but it was New Year's Eve...and _that_ was a big deal. A big deal indeed, particularly to kitsune, as that was the time of the year when humans were at their most vulnerable. A time of indecision, and easily-broken oaths, just waiting for an opportunistic sex demon to appear to take advantage of such situations. All in all it was a time of successful hunts and family reunions, when cubs and parents would come together, sometimes for the first time in years, to exchange stories and bits of Essence. It was also a time to begin teaching kits how to hunt a human in earnest, and let them taste their own first sweet victory. For an orphaned vulpine like Gin, it was especially painful that his mate was away, unable to even celebrate in the human fashion.

Which was why, without telling anyone, Renji had said "fuck the war" for tonight and tomorrow so he could find a suitable present and get home in time to spend a night pampering and enjoying his lover. He might have work to do, but the work would keep—unlike the onward march of time towards the witching hour. He had found three things he hoped would be a good gift.

The first was a 'sex basket'. Humans came up with the most interesting things, and it came with different lubes they could experiment with, a booklet of 'sex coupons' that thoroughly confused him as to their use due to his most recent human life having been in essence celibate—but they sounded like fun anyway—and a couple of toys that had made him blush as red as his hair when he thought about actually using them on either himself or his mate.

More traditionally, he had gotten a small, sweet cake in the shape of a small fox. It was almost eerie how well the bakery had been able to capture his lover's exact grin on the fondant. He was certain the irony of how it looked would be a perfect addition to the Jester's jovial attitude on a day when he had been told the silver-haired male was usually less than enthusiastic.

However, his crowning achievement in his hunt for gifts was the smallest box. A present he was most nervous about: a ring. It was a simple band of white gold, with the same glimmery sheen as Gin's mist cloud. He told himself over and over that he had nothing to worry about. Really they were already Marked and Mated so it was hardly necessary but his human lives still rested close to the surface of his memory. They, and so he, wanted to see that mark of proud claim—'this man has agreed to be mine, hands off!'—in such a way that even magic-blind humans could understand. And it scared the living daylights out of him that the noble vulpine might trivialize, or worse be insulted, by his desire to show off his love in such a mundane materialistic manner.

In the darkened space the pair shared, once again a delicate, androgynous hand that had nails long enough to be called claws, drew down the faded image behind the glass in the cold iron frame. It was enchanted, one of the few spells his Otousan had still been able to cast, so that it would never deteriorate further than it was, but the painting was old. So old now in fact that humans no longer even knew the kinds of pigments used on it. So there was no way to restore it to its former glory. He still remembered clear as day, the vibrant purple of her hair, the sunset in her eyes, the color of a honey-oak that was her skin—his Kaa-chan. New Year's had always been her favorite, and it was on this day he missed her most. He knew now that she'd been hunted by the warlock for her tails, all nine of them, but the fact that the despicable female had been Tried and Punished wasn't enough to ease the ache of far too many missed holidays.

The same hand that had caressed the glass, dropped to cup where his belly would be in several months, "I'll never miss a holiday wit' ya. Ever." He promised, a teardrop sliding down his nose to freeze in mid-air, a crystalline, diamond.

Just then the door gave a quiet click as it opened, War was trying to get his gifts hidden before his mate got back from Court. However, when light from the hallway spilled into their room, he saw Gin holding the picture and an unmistakable frozen tear on the tip of his nose. Immediately, he set all three presents aside on a table and went straight to his lover, his fire-like magic springing up protectively to melt the growing frost in the room.

"Are you okay, Gin?"

Ice blue eyes blinked up, unbelievingly, at his mate as he scrambled to hide the picture. "Y-ya said ya weren't c-comin' home!" He quickly wiped his cheeks, but his ears betrayed him almost as surely as the involuntary swallow he made. "Som'thin' 'bout gorillas in th' Easter dessert, er som'thin'?"

"Guerrilla troops in the eastern desert, love," The redhead corrected softly, nuzzling at his throat, then his cheek, hands petting his hair, back, and tails, trying to soothe his mate's pain on instinct. "Shortly after hanging up, I realized what day it was…and New Year's Eve waits for no-one, not even War, before turning into New Year's Day. I refuse to miss our first New Year's, love. Now come on...tell your mate what's wrong." He tilted the kitsune's chin up to give him a soft kiss of comfort.

"Oh..." Gin's voice was soft, yet another major indicator that things were not right in Foxy Land.

He let his hands slide back from the frame of his picture. The regal kitsune woman was majestic in spite of the faded ink, but retained her clearly mischievous nature as several places were smudged, like the painter had needed to change the lines in order to accommodate her moving. But the most obvious part was her belly, rounded with pregnancy.

"Otousan said he'd had 'er pose like that just in case..." He sniffled. "H-he knew, Aiko...he knew she wouldn't...wouldn't...I miss 'er, Aiko...so much..."

It wasn't hard to tell it was the vulpine's mother. "I know ya do love. I can't blame ya." He reached around the silver-haired man's slender shoulders so his thumb could rub the edge of the frame with the kind of tenderness only inspired by and for his mate. "She looks like an amazin' woman."

"I...I wanna do 'er proud, Tora...wit' th' kits I mean..."

There was the root of the trouble. Missing her was obvious, but this was his first litter. And now, thanks to the warlock, he had neither the kitsune who'd birthed him or the human who'd raised him when she died.

Renji held him close to that strong chest. "You will, Gin," he promised, but his voice was a whisper as a lump rose in his throat.

The redhead, too, was an orphan, at least his most recent human life had been. Growing up on the streets, never really knowing where he fit in or doing any of the things normal children did. He hadn't even had any real friends until he'd met the twins that would eventually become the King and the Mage. So, if the conflict wasn't wrapped up when the kits were born—and it wouldn't be—what could he do? He had to be around for his children, the memories of that life were too fresh to ignore the pull it had on his heart, even if he'd wanted to. But how could he keep the fighting in control _and_ keep in contact with his mate _and_ be a good father to his children? He desperately wanted to be, for his mate and for the kits. But how could he do that _and_ his job? Even he couldn't be in more than one place at once.

The kitsune turned to snuggle into his mate's embrace, oblivious of the turmoil circling the tiger's mind. "I hope so. Aiko. I hope so." He was quiet for a short time, then looked up, his trademarked smile growing on his face. "Feed me?"

The redhead raised one eyebrow high. "I suppose you don't mean the human kind, eh?"

"Uh-uh." The Jester's grin grew wider, and twisted around so he could look at his lover head on. He reached up to lick along his lover's jaw line, tickling the scar from his fight with Byakuya. "Ya've been away fer a month...an' we're hungrrry...prrrr."

"Oh-ho, so the kits need a good Feeding as well? Good," the Second pulled his shirt off over his head, then shucked pants and boxers. He then grinned and kissed Gin, pulling the smaller male down on top of him as he dropped the glamour he used while interacting with humans—he'd been so worried about his soulmate's mental health before that he'd forgotten to dismiss the spell.

The kitsune purred, kissing back, and running his hands over the planes of that ebony-lined chest. His tails wagging happily, and grinding against his mate. Renji groaned softly, head pressing back to bare the column of his neck, the black lines already starting to glow with soft power. The Jester pressed the knot of his yukata into the tiger's hand, whimpering and nipping around the place where crimson hair gave way to crimson fur.

War's thick fingers fumbled a bit to untie it, but when he did he pushed the light material off his body entirely and he melted, purring and growling. "Fuuuck mate, you know howwwww my earrrrs arrrre," he rumbled, voice dark and pleasured.

"Exactly..." The vulpine purred back at him, "All th' better ta Eat ya, Tiger." His sharpened teeth combed through that fur, nipping at the flesh underneath, as his words vibrated through it.

The redhead feline's tail curled and twisted as his hips bucked and he moaned loud and long, lines glowing bright and hot all the way to his chest, streaking towards his hips, spurred on heavily by the teeth on his ear. They were horrendously sensitive.

Blunt claws traced the unlit lines, dragging sparks in varying shades of cool white-blue, like the brightest of electricity and the air of a winter morning. Gin ran his tongue after his fingers, licking up the sparks, and igniting them beneath the surface of the tiger's skin.

Renji moaned, kneading at his shoulders. "Dear…uuhhnnn," he hissed, twitching and shuddering in reaction to his chakras and pressure points being lit up like a holiday tree.

In that manner, the kitsune built the last of his lover's Essence, bolstered by the Ley Line beneath them. He drew it up, even as he worked his way down, leaving glowing tattoos in his wake, until he knelt between Renji's legs, nuzzling and simply inhaling his mate's scent from the most concentrated place. His tongue darted out, tasting as well as scenting.

Long fingers twisted in silver hair and the tiger's hips bucked again, balls heavy and swollen with Essence and need. The Second knew everything had to be built up very specifically in order to properly Feed his lover and their kits, but he was eager and wanting right now.

"Mmmmmateeeee," he whined softly.

Gin nuzzled down to his tiger's scrotum, lapping at the sensitive skin. It wouldn't be much longer but he had to fill the lightning bolts that ran between the barbs along the shaft of the large feline's cock. So he took one orb between his lips, and suckled on it, pulling it down away from his body to delay the redhead's orgasm.

The yowl-whine-noise he received in response told the fox how badly his tiger wanted to Feed him as those last precious lines slowly filled. Claws scratched lightly at his scalp as War's horns began to push through his temples slowly, resisting his control.

The vulpine's tongue stretched to draw the other orb into his mouth as well, careful to keep his teeth away from the delicate skin. Then he hummed, with both sound and magic, drawing on those last few centimeters. So close. Another minute or two, then he could do as he liked—take that flagpole, standing proud and flushed above his head, into his throat and swallow it whole.

Just as he completed that body-tingling, mouth-water thought, the very tip of that length lit up in bright fiery red color, leaking like mad, and the tiger whimpered, practically begging his lover to Feed and let him come. That was the sign the Jester had been waiting for! Pulling back, the silver fox-man licked his considerable tongue over his lips in preparation for his feast, then dove without warning on the prick in front of him like a peasant at an imperial banquet. He took the whole thing in one swallow, sucking hard and moaning around it. The shock value of what he did going straight to his own straining member.

Renji roared, dick throbbing with the promise of bursting, but he wasn't quite there yet. Just a few more moments...Gin ran his hands up the redhead's thighs, swallowing around his mouthful and grinding his manhood against the sheets beneath them, creating a rhythm of suck-swallow-grind...Oh hell! War couldn't hold out against _that_ type of assault for shit no matter how hard he tried. The tiger roared again and came so hard his toes cracked and cramped.

Greedily the kitsune sucked him down, draining his power lines like the glow was liquid. Again his tails were wagging, and warmth spread through his belly as his mate's Essence flowed into him long after the initial throes of War's orgasm. It created an echo effect that pulled a sympathetic reaction from the fox's body. His manhood, virtually untouched, shot off his own climax onto the sheets. The energy he released was immediately swept up in the second half of the bond, drawn to the tiger as surely as if they had been sucking each other off.

Due to the combination of fire and ice that was the magical dynamic between the Jester and War, any liquid mess that could have stained the blood-red sheets evaporated almost as soon as it touched the air. Their room existed almost constantly in that special place where heat and cold met, where lightning was born, and sublimation was a given, depending on just how worked up the lovers were at any given moment.

As the energies in the room calmed and the temperature stopped fluctuating so badly, the redhead collapsed onto his back with a sigh, eyes falling closed as he petted his mate's hair. "Ooohhh...been way too long love..."

Dutifully, the Jester cleaned his mate's crotch, clearing the last vestiges of power from the strongest of his tattoos, and murred in response, savoring the taste. No Essence tasted as good, or settled his stomach the way his tiger did.

With a sleepy voice Gin asked, "Why ya gotta stay away so long?"

The large feline pulled the other up into his chest and murmured to him softly. "Cuz humans 're stupid an' I'm tryin'a get as much done as I can before the kits're born so I c'n stay home to help ya raise 'em as much as possible."

"I miss ya though..." That quiet tone was back, though it was more muted than before, the pleasant fullness of having just Fed making the kitsune sleepy and drifting.

"We'll hafta think about how t'fix it...after a nap," Renji promised, curling against his mate and being lulled softly towards sleep as well.

Still on the bedside table, forgotten and ignored were the three presents the Second had brought home for his lover.


	2. Don't Cry

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize now for the pun at the end of the chapter. XD It's pretty bad. Anyway, no real notes or anything this week. Enjoy, minna! Ja ne!

Unfortunately, the issue did not get fixed then or for the next several weeks. The 'gorillas', as Gin kept calling them, made some sort of headway and, almost immediately after the pair celebrated their first holiday together, the redhead was pulled away. The kitsune tried to keep a happy façade but anyone who knew him could tell something just didn't sit right with the way he made his jokes. This meant that when the Third crossed the courtyard just after Candlemas and found the Jester upside down in his mist cloud, staring at the way a mother spider tended the eggsack she'd laid over the course of the winter, something had to be done.  
  
Things were a bit different now, living with the priests and monks who tended to the sacred ground as they went about their daily lives. Each of the Horsemen had a separate building that was their own personal, private sanctuary situated at the four corners of the compass, Conquest in the North, War to the East, Famine to the South, and finally Death to the West. But on the grounds were several other buildings, including a common area which housed the kitchen, library, dining room and a chapel was where the Shrine-keepers performed their daily prayers and rituals—at least until Ichigo had kicked them all out and commandeered the place for something.  
  
And it was the corner between East and South that Gin was inhabiting. With his attention focused on the spider, he never noticed the older demon approaching him. He sighed, a wistful sort of noise, and his tails drifted alternatively into and out of visibility through the mist that supported him. An overall air of discontent hung around the fox.  
  
Having had quite enough of that, Aizen promptly snagged a tail as it disappeared into the cloud and dragged the Jester away from his corner of depression, grumbling under his breath about ridiculous foxes and unhappiness being contagious. After he had brought the other into the kitchen and demanded several different sugar treats of the various appliances, he shoved them on the kitsune before sitting down with two cups of tea. The butterfly gave his best friend-brother-son the most direct stare ever turned on the Court.  
  
"You. Fess up. Now."  
  
"MAH! So-so! I was watchin' th' Momma. She was doin' so good too..." He trailed off, looking out the window, eyes closed, and smile fading. His hands curled around the tea cup, warming them. He knew he couldn't avoid the demand. "I...popped t'day..."  
  
"Popped? You know I do not understand common terms," Aizen chastised. "And I'm sure the spider will do just fine weaving without your supervision."  
  
The insides of the fox's ears turned pink. "Th'...um...on my..."  
  
He shifted so the butterfly could clearly see the way he had the sash of his hakama wrapped only once around his hips. The ends hung long due to the unconventional method. He bit his lip, still looking away...he'd wanted Renji to be the first to know, but the King only knew when he was coming home again.  
  
"It won't go all th' way 'round twice no more."  
  
"...oh!" The butterfly's face went soft and he rested one hand on the gentle swell of the kitsune's belly, a tiny smile on his lips. "You are starting to show. Will that not be a wonderful surprise when Renji comes home?"  
  
Though still faintly pink, a bit deeper now that his almost-brother was touching the rise where his kits grew, his ears pinned back into his hair in pain. Gin mumbled, firmly focused on the floor, "By th' time he comes home ev'rybody'll know."  
  
"Incorrect," he replied with a glint of mischief in his eyes not that far removed from the fox's own kind. "He'll be here by this evening." Then the Third sobered, taking a sip of his tea. "However, that is not the most of what's bothering you. Fess up, Foxy."  
  
"I..." The vulpine tilted his chin. "There's this...thing...it watches me. I c'n feel it, but...by th' time I look fer it, it's gone again. It doesn't do it when Aiko's here."  
  
His nose twitched recalling the eyes he felt boring into his skull from behind him at almost all times when he was alone. It was the whole reason he'd been hanging upside down in the first place. If the whatever-it-was wanted to stare, it could watch his tails for a while.  
  
Aizen eyes cut a path around the room. "Is it here now?"  
  
He pulled the fox closer protectively—he was rather paranoid at the moment, what with Gin being pregnant and his own mate having had that scare with the rattlesnake last year.  
  
"N-no. Only when I'm…I'm...Ahlo...Ehlon..." The kitsune blinked a few times, and then promptly sneezed in the butterfly's face due to proximity to the gossamer wings. "Ah! Gomene!"  
  
The brunette pulled a handkerchief out of seemingly nowhere and cleaned off his face, then disposed of it immediately and chuckled. "No harm done. I know you're sensitive to my dust. Still...I will put a moth watch on you to try and flush out this watcher of yours."  
  
"If...If ya think I need it..."  
  
The Jester bit his lip, ears still drooping. They probably would until his mate came home. The nature of the kitsune being one of physical contact, and the fickleness of being pregnant on top of that meant that only one sort of cuddle would do at the moment, just as he'd only Feed from one person right now.  
  
"C'n I go back ta watchin' Momma Spider now?"  
  
"Nope," Famine replied with uncommon cheerfulness, once more grabbing his cloud and pulling him behind as he went stalking off. "You and I are going out."  
  
"G-goin' out? Where?"  
  
Gin's eyes actually slit open a fraction—all the wider he'd let them go when he wasn't hunting or with Renji. He shifted his cloud so the Third was holding his hand instead. Being pulled along by some random amorphous part of himself felt too much like cheating to be comfortable at the moment.  
  
"Cafe...Library...Somewhere we can scare the fuck out of the little humans from under a glamor and I can get some coffee to wash out all the sugar I just consumed." The frank tone in the butterfly's words silenced the fox for a while as they walked, steadily leaving the Shrine behind.  
  
"Okay..." Gin replied when he regained his voice but he looked over his shoulder every so often, tails tucked up close. "I guess if we're goin' out-out I gotta make wit' th' female parts...th' kits wouldn't like it if I hid 'em now that they're showin' themselves."  
  
He blinked a few times, making sure none of the humans were around. Not that he expected them to be, what with most of the Shrine still empty from the winter and the King, the Mage, Conquest and Death off visiting the King and the Mage's human family. Still, it wouldn't do to be scaring them needlessly, as he shifted his chest and hips to more accurately carry his baby weight according to the humans' definition of what was and what wasn't. As soon as the ripple of shape was finished, he glared at his-now-her new assets.  
  
"M' tellin' ya, ev'ry time I manifest these damn things they git bigger..." She poked one, watching it jiggle under her yukata.  
  
"Of course they do, they swell with pregnancy," Aizen replied. "It's one of those things human women bitch about constantly, especially since they often stay enlarged after the pregnancy ends." He continued holding her hand—neither Gin's mate nor his own would feel threatened by the action so he had nothing to feel guilty about the way he clung a little bit tighter than was strictly polite to the mostly slender female trailing behind him. "Now, any particular place you want to be while I make humans dance to my tune for your amusement?"  
  
"Eh...uh...no, not really..." Her den-ing instinct was beginning to kick in, so being out where she could be seen was somewhat scary.  
  
Elder kitsune suggested that it was a holdover from when they had become enlightened from foxes when Inari Okami, Goddess of Fertility and Rice, had created the First Kitsune to be Her child and servant. In any case, it meant that the now-female silver-haired figure was watching all around herself, clinging tightly to her almost-brother's hand.  
  
"Was there sum'place ya wanted ta go specifically? Sin's pro'ly open."  
  
"Sin is far too violent for your current state," the brunette replied with a sniff. "I...own a small shop. I have not visited it in many years."  
  
"Y'do?" Again the kitsune blinked. "How come we've never gone there b'fore, So-so?"  
  
Now she was keeping up a bit better, though being distracted by the butterfly did little to help her ignore the stares she was getting as they walked down the street from the Shrine.  
  
The butterfly, under the glamour of a wealthy businessman, cast a fierce glare upon anyone who looked at her for longer than a few seconds—this was not a sideshow!  
  
"It is a rather small little shop, selling only books and coffee and pastries. Such places ceased to be popular quite some time ago, and had I not possessed a great deal of funds in reserve, it would have gone under already. With the Court in such disarray, and before that, having only one Horseman doing the work of four, I have simply not had the time to frequent it as much I probably should have."  
  
"Then..." She shifted closer, deliberately wrapping her arm around his to make it seem like they were in a different kind of relationship than they had, "ya sure it's still there if ya haven't been checkin' on it?"  
  
"Yes." Aizen returned the gesture, rather pleased with himself. "Because I still supply the funding to run it monthly, and I am still paying the wages for a manager and three employees as well as expenses for the coffee and pastries, which I suspect no-one but the employees eat. Still, I do not mind…at least someone is enjoying them," he chuckled.  
  
"I guess it's better'n nothin'..." The kitsune, under the guise of a human woman, was quiet for a short while. The she whimpered, "So-so...m'feet hurt..."  
  
Without so much as a pause or hesitation, the fox-turned-female was scooped into the butterfly's deceptively thin arms and cradled bridal-style to accommodate her slightly rounded stomach. "We're nearly there, dear."  
  
"Is there cinnamon an' pineapple?" She asked hopefully, leaning her head against his shoulder. The butterfly wasn't as muscular as Renji, but he wasn't scrawny. So he served as a passable pillow.  
  
"If there isn't, I can certainly get some," the brunette promised gently as he toed open a dark green door with the words 'Butterfly's Books and Café', slightly worn, but still bright gold on the window. A small bell rang, and a teenager who'd been dozing behind the counter came to attention with a crack of joints that made the butterfly wince.  
  
"Welcome, sir! Seating is right here near the front and there are more private tables to the left," the young man said, figuring easily they needed a place to sit for the pregnant one.  
  
Famine smiled, pleased by the quick reply. "I know. I own this place. Nevertheless, thank you," he replied in soft, cultured tones as he seated Gin on a comfortable couch.  
  
The kitsune peered around at the quaint shop. Coffee in several flavors, old books, and yes! Cinnamon and pineapple, assaulted her nose. Her mouth watered as she spied the fruit muffin nestled among the chocolate and other candy favored ones. She didn't dare ask for it though. She didn't want special treatment just because the owner was her nakama...but that muffin...she had to have that muffin!  
  
The teen looked like he didn't know quite what to do with himself. The owner, who was little more than a rumored mystery that never showed his face, was in the store, what was he supposed to do with that?! He went for the default: how he'd been trained to treat all customers that came through the door.  
  
"Is there anything I can get you? Coffee, muffins, scones, a book, all of these?"  
  
Aizen grinned. "All of those. Straight black coffee for me and a chocolate chip scone, and whatever is popular this week for the book. Gin, what would you like?"  
  
"Tha'un!" She pointed to the one tickling her nose, and her glamour slipped only so much that the butterfly could see her tails wagging.  
  
The Third's grin softened, "And the cinnamon-pineapple muffin with a large glass of milk for my sister."  
  
The teenaged clerk also smiled, and hurried to fill their order, bringing a book for Gin as well, though she hadn't asked for one. As soon as the plate was in front of her, the kitsune dove into the muffin like it was last one on Earth. She actually moaned quietly when she took the first bite, and both Aizen and the clerk watched fondly. There wasn't anything quite as adorable as watching an expectant mother indulge her cravings. After a few moments the brunette and the teenager turned to their respective tasks, letting the shop fall into a pleasant silence for a while.  
  
As Famine reached the end of his scone, the clerk approached the pair again, "Mr. Butterfly Sir, since you're here, did you want to go over the inventory and stuff? I know you're probably relaxing but my manager will want to know tomorrow if you do go over it before you leave."  
  
With a small sigh, the older brunette stood, "I suppose it can't be helped. Will you be alright here by yourself for a short time, Gin?"  
  
"Mmph?" The fox looked up and blinked, crumbs dotting her mouth and cheeks puffed out with her treat. She smiled as best she could and nodded.  
  
Another fond smile at his brother-son, and the butterfly made a motion with his hand for the clerk to precede him into the back room. As soon as they were gone, however, the vulpine froze, mouth still full of muffin, but chills running down her spine from ears to tail tips. She swallowed harshly, clearing her mouth as quickly as possible. Then she called into the quiet of the store that had previously been so welcoming, but now hung over her like a foreboding thunderhead.  
  
"Wh-what do ya want wit' me?" Her voice fell in the oppressive silence, going no further than her own ears.  
  
But something answered anyway. In the shadows of a bookshelf across the shop from her, glaring eyes that glowed faintly red appeared. The soft hiss of a snake accompanied the narrowing of those eyes, and the floorboards creaked, as though under the weight of something easily the size of a large pony. There was a slithering, dry sound, and Gin's eyes slit open as wide as she allowed them to in a place where humans could fall under her spell. The sensation of bindings around her ankles and wrists appeared, making her tense and try to pull away from a bond that wasn't actually there. Then she felt the sliding of cool metal against the skin of her neck and she screamed. The glass, half full of milk, slipped from her fingers to shatter on the floor, and her voice pierced through the aura of evil permeating the store.  
  
Aizen Flitted to her side in an instant, drawing her gaze immediately to his own, "Gin?! Are you ok?! What happened?"  
  
"Th'...th'..." She shivered, her glamour flickering with distress. Her eyes flicked around the room but the whatever-it-was in the shadows was gone, taking its nightmares with it. She rubbed a hand across her collar bones, where the phantom metal had pressed against her skin. "It...So...c'n we go home now?" She pleaded.  
  
"Hai, Gin. Right now." The brunette took her in his arms and held her close, trying in vain to soothe her tremors. He strode toward the door, but glanced over his shoulder at the clerk, who was already cleaning up the ruined glass. "Let your manager know that he is doing an excellent job, Shishigawara-kun, and I'll return in the next couple of weeks to discuss possibly raising your salary for your excellent organizational skills. For now though, ja ne."  
  
"Ah, hai! Ja ne, Mr. Butterfly Sir!" The teenager grinned, "I hope your sister feels better." The door jingled shut before his words reached the pair, but somehow the clerk knew that they heard him anyway.  
  
On the Flit home, Gin dropped his glamour completely, returning to his natural form, and curled in on himself, shuddering. It was his deepest fear to be chained up. For eons, kitsune were captured and confined so that warlocks and monster hunters could harvest their tears, their teeth, their claws and most importantly their tails. All of these things held magical significance, but most of all their tails, as each one was a symbol of how long a kitsune had lived and how much power it had. So, all kits were born with an inherit abhorrence to most forms of bondage, and Gin was no different. Tears wracked his body.  
  
"Fuckin' hormones...makin' me cry over that!" He sniffled, clutching Aizen's shirt where the icy drops formed frost on the cloth.  
  
At that moment they were entering the East building and Renji was already in their bedroom, having been summoned by his mate's distressed call almost as instantaneously as if the King himself had Called for him. Though he could tell by the way the Third held him that the fox was alright, he couldn't help asking, "Cry over what, Koi?"  
  
"He was quite frightened by something that invaded my—" The butterfly began to explain but was cut off as Gin launched himself in a sniffling, soggy ball at his mate.  
  
"Not that! I LOST M' DRINK!" He wailed, forcing the tiger back onto their bed.  
  
"You spilled it?" Renji asked, an eyebrow trying to crawl into his hair line. At his lover's nod, he looked to Famine, though the question was directed at the kitsune, "Well, what was it?"  
  
The butterfly gave the silver-haired male a chance to answer but when it appeared that all the vulpine man was going to do was cry while his mate rubbed his back, the brunette supplied, "He was drinking milk, War."


	3. Going Too Far

"C'mon, Foxy, come an' get me!" Conquest taunted, darting away with a grin.

The silver-haired kitsune growled with almost annoyance and took off after the blue-haired menace. "Git back here, ya over-grown kitty cat!"

Grimmjow stuck his tongue out in a very similar motion to that of his mate. Using his long flexible black and white tail as a lure, the panther sped across and around the courtyard on all fours, not quite Flitting but still faster than the Jester could keep up, much to his irritation. After a very short while, too short for his liking, Gin had to stop running, out of breath and rubbing his side.

Beltane was too close to summer for the thick-coated vulpine under the best of conditions, and being half-way through his pregnancy did not aid him, especially in the game Conquest was currently trying to play. His ears and tails drooped, his tongue hung out of his mouth and he rubbed a hand over the curve of his belly, now large enough that he couldn't wear most of his yukata or hakama anymore. So, on top of being weighed down by three kits that added their own body heat, the only way he could cover himself was with his natural thick, double-coated pelt of fur that was specifically designed for cold weather. Needless to say, the poor kitsune was well over-warm.

It was precisely for that reason that the panther inadvertently dashed away too far and didn't notice his game-partner missing right away. Which gave the large figure in the shadows on the lee side of the East building the opportunity to whisper, in its native tongue, all the horrible things it would do to the kits once they were born. Of course, the kitsune couldn't understand this, but in his swimming vision the same burning eyes that had tormented his nightmares since the encounter at the bookstore appeared to have multiplied by at least three, giving the appearance of a six-eyed beast prowling in the darkness. Needless to say it terrified him.

Gin took several steps away from the sight, but the combination of his condition, the heat and the aura with which the vaguely baboon-shaped beast flooded the area, created the perfect recipe for a fainting spell. The Jester never even felt the stones of the courtyard when his knees gave out and he collapsed into a heap of silver fur.

The next thing he was aware of were cool hands brushing his bangs out of his face, and water being dribbled onto his lips. He licked them unconsciously and caught the tail end of a conversation that had obviously been going on for a while.

"...don't care what you thought, you lost sight of him and look what happened!" The speaker was obviously smaller than their target, because the sound of sucking teeth was further away than the words. "Are you listening to me? Grimmjow!" Ah, Ulquiorra then.

Gin expected to hear some scathing remark from the blue-haired panther, but when none came he cracked an eye just far enough to see that Conquest was leaning against the wall, staring out into space, arms crossed over his chest, and his tail flicking in irritation. Death was attempting to get him to feel something about having almost left the Jester in the heat to die. That in itself was irony, considering how apathetic Death was always assumed to be. It just went to show that human interpretations of the Court were just as wrong about the bat as they had been about the panther when they'd incorrectly called him Pestilence, instead of Conquest.

Ulquiorra called the First's name two more times before the blue-haired feline finally glared at him. "Fine! I get it ok. C'n I go now?" He was surly.

"Yeah, when you explain to me why I was standing here calling your name and you didn't even so much as look up." Being ignored was the biggest of the bat's pet-peeves.

For a second it appeared like it was going to happen again, but eventually the panther just rolled his eyes. "I jus' didn' feel like answerin' ya."

Even to Gin's still foggy brain that sounded like a lie, but he couldn't put his finger on exactly why that was important at the moment, and concentrating on it was impossible because right then the rest noticed he was awake. Immediately he was surrounded by his nakama, all talking at once. Then silence reigned and the door, to what he determined to be the library from the way the others hovered over him, flew open with a bang.

"What happened this time!?" Renji roared, stalking over to him with a pronounced limp and several gashes along the bicep on his blind side.

The kitsune smiled a bit, sitting up slowly so he could cradle the head of crimson hair that was suddenly in lap, purring and nuzzling his baby bump. "Mah, I jus' over did it out in th' sunshine, Aiko."

"That thing was back wasn't it?" War growled. "I c'n smell it on ya." The crimson orb of his blind eye turned up to glare meaningfully at the rest of the court. "What part of he can't be left alone, is nobody understandin'? Do I hafta bring Ichigo inta this? I thought we was all agreed 'bout it. I don't care if all the thing does is watch him. I can't stand th' idea of that whatever-it-is havin' the opportunity ta hurt him."

"Don't bug King wit' it. It was an accident. Blue didn't mean ta leave him behind. We're just not used ta...um..." The albino mage seemed to realize how dangerous the rest of his sentence was becoming.

Ulquiorra save his mate, "Indeed, Ichigo has enough on his plate between his lessons and working with the caretakers on that project of his in the chapel that's connected to the kitchen." He stepped forward, "I take full responsibility for Grimmjow's," The panther didn't even flinch at the cold tone Death used, "negligence this afternoon. Shiro and I were attempting to re-animate the coffeepot without using so much caffeine. It was tricky and required all of our attention. Gin-san, please forgive us for not coming to you sooner."

"Oh it's not all that bad..." The kitsune tried to make light of the situation, only to received his mate's full-on stare. "Yer here now, so what's it matter?"

"Koi, I can't keep runnin' back an' forth 'tween here an' th' Amazon. In th' time it takes me ta get here an' back my whole plan can be destroyed. I wanna be here wit' ya but I gotta catch up on stuff now if I wanna have time wit' you an' the kits later." War's words were accompanied by another nuzzle to his belly, and a small, enticing purr.

"Maybe Death and Shiro can make up for their part in today's fiasco by helping to pinpoint exactly what kind of beast we're looking for. "Aizen entered the conversation for the first time. He had been the one dripping cool water on Gin's lips just as the fox had returned to consciousness.

"That's a good point, Aiko. If we're holed up here in the library that thing can't get to me, and I'll feel like I'm actually doing something instead of just sitting around in our room with a couple of priests." Gin smiled reassuringly and Renji grunted.

"Fine." He didn't want to leave his mate again, but there was no helping it. So, the redhead cuddled him closer for a moment or two. "Be good, Koi." He kissed the fox and Flitted away, presumably back to the Amazon.

"I am going to attend to Ichigo." The implication in the butterfly's words was that he was going to try and get a peek at the big project the King refused to allow the rest of the Court to see.

When he and his brother had returned from visiting their father, the orangette had holed himself up with a bevy of priests, architects and designers inside the old chapel. They saw him every so often as he needed to leave the building to eat and sleep, but otherwise the King was unavailable until further notice. Not even Conquest knew what was happening, and he slept with him.

So, the Horsemen's patience about the project was becoming thinner and thinner, which meant any and every excuse to attempt to get into the converted chapel had been used and now they barely even bothered trying to hide their true motives anymore. Everyone around the room nodded, but the butterfly paused on his way out the door.

"Grimmjow, why don't you come with me?" The panther gave no response, which made the brunette frown, and call out again, "Grimmjow? Come with me." Again there was no response. Placing a hand on Conquest's shoulder, Famine shook it lightly, "Grimmjow!"

"What?" The blue-haired male blinked, frowning.

"Come with me." Aizen did not like repeating himself, and his own brows drew closer together, though more in concern than irritation. Could the First be losing himself?

The blunette grumbled, "Fine." And preceded the butterfly out of the library, leaving Gin with the two palest members of the Court.

The bat and the albino exchanged a worried glance that Gin caught, but neither of them said anything out loud for fear that if they gave name to the issue, it would become worse. Magic was sarcastic that way.

"So what d'ya think it could be, Qio?" The kitsune broke the silence, "And why's it watchin' me?"

Death pursed his lips and turned to the book he'd obviously been reading before yelling at Grimmjow. "According to Merlin's studies of shadow-walkers, it could be anything from a dying boggle to a troll. I can only assume that because all it does is watch it is unable to actually enter the Court."

"Wait..." Shiro interrupted, "But it's here in th' Shrine, hangin' 'round on th' edges, how is that not enterin' th' Court?"

Ulquiorra looked up at his mate as though his next sentence was obvious, "Shii-koi, it's called a 'court' yard for a reason."

The Mage's eyes went wide in understanding and the Jester giggled at the single syllable reply. "Oh."

"But why's it watchin' me," Gin repeated himself with more emphasis on the declaration of himself, "I'm not anythin' special really…not like you two."

His ears drooped at the last part. He looked up a bit surprised when he felt a hand on his shoulder. Death smiled down at him, a small expression but obvious by the light in his emerald eyes.

"You are the Jester, Gin. You are just an important as the rest of us. Without you, the King could get himself all wrapped up in the little details. Things are bound to be difficult while we all adjust to being part of the Court again after being absent for so long."

"Yeah," Shiro snorted from across the room, where he was looking at a different book. "Ya should see him when he's tryin' ta remember where he put his crystals."

The bat flushed, "It is not as though I have had access to my personal chambers in the last thousand or so years, Shii-koi."

The kitsune giggled, missing the wink the albino gave his mate.

Over the next several hours, the pale duo orbited around the fox, as he was unduly informed that he was to remain where he was on the couch without lifting a finger. If he needed anything it would be brought for him. When he complained at one point the answer he received in duplicate was, "An' risk windin' up on War's bad side cuz somethin' happened to ya?! Are ya crazy?"

So, for the rest of the day, whenever one of the two found an interesting bit of reference material they brought it over to where the fox was beginning to have himself a nest of books and papers. They must have cross-referenced every shadow-walker with every red-eyed demon and every empath with anything that could warp perceptions. By the time the sun was setting and they needed to use the lights, Gin was frustrated, Shiro was exhausted, and Ulquiorra's eyebrow was twitching unconsciously.

"Is there anythin' else ya c'n think of, Foxy?" The Mage had an arm flung over his face, as he slumped against the side of the couch on the floor. His lap was covered in notes and sketches, and a giant tome of mental manipulators was open between his knees.

The kitsune yawned, peering over the arm to look at the book. "Well...it's like my biggest fears come ta life when it's there." He rubbed a hand down his side, all the staying in one place was making him uncomfortable. "Like...I'm living my nightmares."

"That's it!" Death exclaimed from the table closest to them, and making the other two jump.

"Fer th' love o'... Shiro glared, "What's it?"

The bat's tail curled around to stroke the side of the Mage's face, even as the ebony haired smaller male didn't turn from what he was reading. "Nightmares. It's what we've been over-looking. It's…where is it...ah! Here...'The nue," he recited, "A dream-weaver, said to have the body of a tiger, the head of a baboon and the tail of a snake. They thrive especially well in Japan and Eastern China, enjoying the warm spring and mild winters, though they can be found across the globe in other cultures as...meh, the rest isn't that important, but it's a dream-weaver. That's why we couldn't find it among the other shadow-walkers." At that point he looked up to see equal confusion and concern on both of his companions' faces. "Not to worry, it can't harm you in your dreams, or rather it won't. Dreams are something precious to the nue. Because it is pestering you while you're awake, it can only mean that it is acting on orders, and has been bound to someone against its will. Since it only seems to show up when you are alone, we'll have simply have to make sure it doesn't have the opportunity until the kits are born and you have the ability to confront it. Ne?"

Shiro and Gin exchanged a look. "Uh…does he get like this often?" The fox asked.

"Ev'ry time he fig'res som'thin' out." The Mage nodded.

"Ah." The Jester nodded, deliberately letting his mouth curl into a smile.

The bat glared, but there wasn't any heat behind the expression. "Glad to see you are at least in good humor, Gin-san." He dead-panned.

The silver-haired man wailed in mock tears that had the albino holding his ribs laughing, "Mah! Shiro-kun...Qio-kun's bein' so formal!"

"Well, aren't ya all havin' a good time." The rumble from the doorway brought everyone's attention.

It was late enough that none of the three had noticed the lanterns outside being lit, so the tiger was framed in flame where he stood watching them. It flickered in his eyes, and for a moment neither the bat nor the Mage quite knew whether War was entertained by their antics, or irritated. Gin, on the other hand immediately shifted away from the other two, pouncing his mate with wild abandon.

"Yer home!" As though he hadn't just seen the vibrant redhead a few hours ago, but that was the way of canines.

"Yeah, and I'm gonna be home fer a bit. The idjits I was helpin' took off without me this afternoon an' got themselves killed. So, the conflict's over fer now. It won't stay that way cuz they were rebellin' against th' gov'rnment but fer now at least I c'n be here, with you." The Second nuzzled his mate, a hand running down to palm their growing kits.

Gin purred, burying his nose in his favorite place below Renji's ear. It was warm, and fuzzy, and smelled like home, so it had his tails going a mile a minute until the tiger jumped back staring at him with a mixture of concern and excitement on his face. The fox looked down to where the large, heavily scarred hand was still resting against his bump, and after a moment smiled broadly.

"Oh~! Yeah," He giggled, "They started doin' that t'day."

Shiro was on his feet in an instant, "Ya mean they were kickin' an' ya didn't tell us!"

Renji didn't think his lover's smile could get more devious, but it did as the vulpine turned his head towards the albino. "Mah...a fox's gotta have his secrets, ne?"

"Let it go, Shii-koi. You won't win." Ulquiorra wrapped his mate in his wings at that point with another of his small smiles, and the Mage rested his weight against the bat with a defeated huff.

Then the Jester was pulling his other half out of the library, intent on enjoying the time they had together to the fullest for as long as he was capable of doing so...and being a kitsune...the others figured they wouldn't see much of War while he was on vacation this time.

As such, none of the Court noticed the growling nue outside the common building, watching from the shadows again. Her last order had been to follow War and try to exploit any weakness he could find. With the Horseman away from Japan most of the time, Saru had thought he'd have to go jumping all over the world with the tiger, but with the development of the kitsune as the Second's mate, he didn't have to. He could upset the pair, and the rest of the Court he'd discovered, just by playing with the energies around the expectant fox. He was sure the warlock would have been pleased with his results, or at least that was what he told himself every time he let the snake speak to him. He no longer knew where she was in the world, thanks to the King's Punishment, but he wasn't going to take any chances. He'd learned the hard way many decades ago not to cross her. He could still see the way the kitsune woman braced had herself when she realized that she wouldn't be able to avoid being hit if she wanted to save her cub. The memory made him shudder, and he stepped through the Veil to watch the Horsemen's dreams.


	4. Nesting

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Silva and I are working on some new stuff. Though I don't know if you Bleach folks will like it. It's all One Piece. Anyways, don't fret. We haven't abandoned Bleach, just taking a detour through pirates for the time being. Warning for smut towards the end, but then if you've been following along so far, you already know what kitsunes are like. lol Enjoy, ja ne!

Pillows and blankets flew across the room, one of them smacked the previously sleeping, red-haired tiger in the face. He sat bolt upright blearily, blinking at the cushion that now rested in his lap. "Wh-what?!"  
  
His mate stormed across their bedroom to the just-barely-bigger-than-a-closet down the hall, trailing several blankets and at least three pillows. In his wake, the kitsune left a chaotic assortment of other bedding materials strewn about the floor where they'd been pulled out of the linen closet. Renji scratched his head and frowned a bit.  
  
"Gin…love…" He made his way to the doorway of the not-closet. "Th' priestesses take a lotta pride in makin' sure those blankets 're clean and folded nice fer us, y'know."  
  
"So? Nesting. Doesn't matter."  
  
The fox grumbled, curling over his belly to stretch another blanket across a gap in the already mounded pile of soft materials. He paused, tilting his head to observe his work, then growled loudly and started throwing things about the tiny room again. It was all piled in the middle of the floor, but on top of several layers of futon mattresses. Over the last few days, the silver-haired male had taken to snatching even the King's blanket. Fortunately they were approaching Midsummer, so it wasn't like the materials were needed, but this was getting ridiculous to the tiger's way of thinking.  
  
Renji took a step into the room to take a hold of the last pillow in the kitsune's hands only to be growled at. He frowned, "Look, I'm not sayin' ya should stop completely, but at least come cuddle fer a bit? I gotta get goin' at the end of the week."  
  
"Still?" Gin pouted. "It's always work, work, work wit' you! All ya ever do anymore is work! I never git ta see ya, and when ya are home, ya never want me ta do anythin' for ya. All ya wanna do is sleep an' cuddle."  
  
It probably wouldn't help him, but the redhead couldn't avoid adding, "And sex. I let ya Feed from me as often as ya want."  
  
All he got was an aggravated growl-shout, and a pillow shoved in his face as the fecund kitsune stormed past him. He was left blinking, rather lost. What had he said this time? Two weeks ago the vulpine had been all sunshine and smiles, with cheerful responses to everyone, even that blasted nue that kept hanging around at the edges of everyone's senses. Now though, since he started nesting, he was surly, uncomfortable and downright cold to all who crossed his path, and War couldn't help feeling like it was all his fault somehow.  
  
He stumbled, still half-asleep, out of the East building to the kitchen. Slumping into a seat, he didn't even notice he was still clutching the second pillow to hit him until he had to let go of it to grasp the cup of coffee the appliance set in front of him. He smiled at the little formerly-inanimate object gratefully, downing half of the cup in one go. He shuddered at the bitter taste, but it woke him up, which was the point.  
  
"P'rfec'…" Came a mumbled voice from the doorway.  
  
Looking up the redhead saw Conquest holding his head, squinting against the lights. His turquoise and jade ears lay out flat to either side, and his tail hung limply almost dragging on the floor. Even his yukata looked tired as it draped across his shoulders, hanging open as though it didn't even have the energy to keep itself closed in spite of the knot in the sash.  
  
"Ya look like shit, Grimm." Renji frowned.  
  
"Really? I hadn't not'ced." The panther slurred, sliding into the chair opposite the tiger. "C'n I haff that?" He pointed at the pillow.  
  
"Uh…" The redhead looked at it, then at the blunette and handed it over, "Sure, I guess…s'long as Gin don't want it back." As the other feline exhaled slowly, sinking into the soft cradle, using the table to hold himself up, Renji asked, "So, what's wit' you?"  
  
"Dunno," Conquest shrugged, "M'head's poundin'. How come yer in here? Ain't ya us'ally holed up wit' yer fox 'til dinner these days?"  
  
"Trust me, I wanna be, but he's all…" War made an ineffectual gesture with his hand, taking another drink of his coffee. "He's nestin' an' I try ta help but he don't want me 'round, I swear."  
  
The panther snorted, "I doubt tha'."  
  
"No, really, ev'ry time I try ta get him ta spend some time wit' me, he just growls at me. I'm a bit lost. Gimme a horde o' barbarians tryin' ta overthrow their neighbors fer th' rights ta th' river they already own an' I know 'xactly what ta do ta sort it out with minimal impact on th' world. But this…pregnancy thing…" The tiger shuddered, his ears pinning back.  
  
"Well, I ain't much better at this whole relationship thing, but Ichi says that if he's feelin' ov'rwhelmed he gets snappy. So I'm s'posed ta…oh fuck…" Grimmjow frowned without opening his eyes, "I'm s'posed ta…uh…go ta him, 'nstead'a him comin' ta me, cuz he don't us'ally know he's ov'rwhelmed 'til I do."  
  
Renji ran a hand through his hair, loose from its typical ponytail at the moment, "I could try I guess."  
  
"S'worth a shot, 't least, righ'?" The panther mumbled, burying his face in the pillow. He didn't even notice the Second leave the room, as he whimpered softly to the appliances. "Now, if I could just make th' mem'ries stop."  
  
Outside, in the warm summer sunshine, Gin was pacing back and forth under the sakura trees along the outer edge of the East building's garden. His mate just didn't get it, and why couldn't he just understand for once? It drove him crazy. He didn't want to stop everything he was doing to just lay around with his tiger all the time, but they were running out of time. War would be heading back out in a couple of days, and the King only knew when the redhead would be able to get back…what if he missed the birth!? Involuntarily the fox whimpered.  
  
Then he stopped, glaring at a shadow not fifteen paces from him. "You!" He spat.  
  
The nue stepped out into the sunshine, allowing himself to be seen for the first time in total. He was large, about the size of a small horse, and bulky, with powerful shoulders and corded arms that bulged with muscle. His heavy knuckles and the gentle bow to his back spoke of the immense time he'd spent plying his craft. His ruff was thick, and pearly white with broad purple stripes. His crimson eyes, set deep in the wizened baboon face, narrowed as the snake's head arched up over his shoulder to hiss at the kitsune.  
  
Silver ears pinned back against his hair and baring his teeth, the expectant male stalked right up to the dream-weaver, "Look you! I have enough on m' plate at th' moment wi'out havin' ta worry 'bout lookin' over m' shoulder fer you ev'ry time I want some time ta think by m'self! So bugger th' hell off, an' I won't turn yer tail inta a squeaky toy!"  
  
Gin had never heard a snake gulp before, but this one did, as its eyes went wide, "Sssaru…he meansss it…he'll…aah!"  
  
The kitsune leaned in for emphasis, freezing electricity sparking in the otherwise almost-too-hot air, and snapped his vicious canine teeth at the reptilian appendage. It cowered, unable to handle direct confrontation the same way the baboon half could.  
  
"Please stop intimidating my tail. I will leave. With your newfound ability to shake off my nightmares, I am useless here. Thus, the order I was given no longer applies." The baboon stepped slowly to the side.  
  
Outright running would be as bad as standing his ground, as that would turn his vulnerable back to the angered vulpine, but simply backing away would be seen as the preamble to a chase, regardless whether he turned or not. As one magical beast to another, it simply wasn't intelligent to provoke either any further. Frozen, blue eyes followed the nue's movements until he stepped into a shadow and through the Veil.  
  
The Jester didn't care where the dream-weaver went, as long as he wasn't being bothered any longer. So he gave a subtle shake, freeing slivers of ice that had developed in his fur as his power rose, and re-settled his hackles. The kits promptly informed him that they had not appreciated their momma stretching himself the way he had by squirming, pushing against his spine, ribs, and the back of his belly button all at the same time. It prompted him to bring a hand around to caress his belly, and put a smile to his face.  
  
"This is why I usually watch from a distance, Gin-san."  
  
Whipping around in confusion, the fox blinked a few times at the presence of the King sitting on the roof of the East building with a one leg drawn up, the other hanging off the edge, swinging gently. The orangette had a smile on his face where he rested his cheek against the palm of his hand, the elbow of which was in turn resting on his raised knee.  
  
"The others seem to think you're powerless now that you're expecting. I think they've forgotten the kitsune you were before you became my Jester." Ichigo's voice was wistful, as though he wasn't exactly speaking of Gin at the moment. "It's why I've kept my distance. I know you can handle yourself. And others." He laughed.  
  
"Uh…thanks, Denka?" The vulpine was still a bit shocked. He hadn't even known that the King was concerned, what with the way the monarch had been wrapped up in his project with the priests.  
  
The orangette waved at him, and hopped down to the ground, nimbly. "Ichigo, if you could. I hate all that title and worship nonsense the priests pile on me."  
  
"But yer th' King." Gin insisted, a small frown creasing his brow.  
  
The younger male gave a joyless laugh. "Yeah. I am. So? Doesn't that mean my desire is law?"  
  
The kitsune seemed to pick up on something the King didn't say as his smile returned in full force, and he teased. "Hai. Ichi-kun."  
  
"Much better." Ichigo smiled again. "Now, how about we celebrate your victory over the pest with a sneak peek at what I've been working on?" The kitsune's tails wagged and the King led them to the chapel.  
  
Renji nodded to himself, fists on his hips, surveying the not-closet. He'd brought their own bedding from their actual bed in to be used on top of what his mate had already arranged. He'd moved two of the futons to line the back walls, then piled a row of pillows in the corner where the floor met the wall so there was support for one's lower back. The rest he used to create a barrier between the door and the center of the room with space just wide enough for someone to kneel against the wall nearest the hallway. Several blankets were hung on the outside wall to block drafts, and the rest were bunched haphazardly around the interior of the nest. Nodding again he tried to swallow the ball of nerves that had settled in his stomach.  
  
Would Gin like it? Would he be upset that the tiger had messed with his nest? Would he even say anything or would he just push War out of the room so he could tear everything down and start over? Everyone knew the Second was about conflict, but did he have the negotiating skills to handle making peace with his emotional mate? He wasn't entirely sure himself, but if nothing else this should prove that he cared and wanted to do more than just cuddle, right?  
  
"What have ya done?"  
  
The redhead couldn't stop the bottle brush of his tail as his mate blinked at him from the doorway. He was standing in the middle of the nest, and under the head-tilted ice blue neutral gaze leveled at him, he shifted a little nervously.  
  
"Is it okay?" He asked, unconsciously curling in on himself.  
  
Gin blinked, "It's…"  
  
Horrible? Awful? Dreadful? Renji could hear the adjectives echoing through his skull, and his heart sped up even more than it already was.  
  
"It's…" The kitsune tilted his head to the other side.  
  
Ugly? Hideous? Violated?  
  
"It's…" Another blink.  
  
By now, the tiger had his tail in his hands, ears folded down into his hair, and looking off to the side. He couldn't stand to see the expression on his mate's face when the fox finally decided his attempt was disgusting and worthless.  
  
Then out of nowhere he had an armful of pregnant Jester, and was landing on his, often bruised, tail in the blankets. He dared to smile a bit, and was kissed soundly. When the usually smaller male let him up for air, he out-right grinned.  
  
"Ya like it then." He stated.  
  
"Like it? Aiko, it's perfect! How'd ya know what I wanted?" Gin was all over him, purring and nuzzling and tails wagging.  
  
The tiger shrugged, "I dunno. I just did what I know ya like ta do ta th' bed."  
  
"Oh, Tora!" The kitsune was kissing him again, and crying.  
  
Then War felt his mate's hands pulling at the belt of his kosode, pushing the fabric away and heat began to pool in his stomach through the fox's kisses. An amazing effect because the more aroused the Jester got the colder the air became around them, but his touches and kisses were like an accelerant to the perpetual fires of conflict that burned at the core of the Second's being. It never failed to immediately bring him to hardness and feeling the way Gin's belly brushed against his own, fur on skin, soft-yet-firm precious cargo pressing into the gently dipped plane of corded muscles, had him bucking gently to capture more _touch_ between them.  
  
He rolled them over in the blankets, shedding his hakama while he was at it, so he could worship the amazing creature that was his mate. Gin squirmed as the tiger ran his hands down the fox's sides, and cantered his mouth across the junction of neck and shoulder, all around the Mating Mark. A moan that could have come from either of them was absorbed by the blankets and cushioning when Renji pressed his index finger up, under his lover's tails and into his entrance, already slick in preparation of being used for birth in the next couple of months.  
  
Gin ground his hips against the sensation, eyes closed tightly, and his member beginning to leak freely. The redhead leaned back to stroke it, spreading the precome around the glans and caressing the knot that usually was kept at bay by the kitsune being in control of the entire situation. In no time it seemed War had added his other fingers, and his silver-haired lover was gripping the cushions beneath them, a mewling mess of arousal and need.  
  
"Talk ta me, foxy boy." Renji kissed up the sensitive swell of their kits. "Tell me who loves ya." He removed his hand to line himself up with the twitching tunnel.  
  
"Nnyah! Rrrenjiii~!" The Jester purr-moaned, pressing his sphincter against the flared and barbed glans his mate presented for him.  
  
"That'sss rrright." The tiger entered him, with slow deliberate strength, filling him completely with a guttural noise of pleasure that rumbled above his normally slender lover in all the right ways.  
  
The rhythm was almost as gentle as the first time they'd made love, back when War had just Awakened, and Gin was literally fucking the human out of him. But this was more intense, as their hips met, individuality lost to the moment, and power between the two built gently, swirling in the corners of the room. This was about connection, and though it never failed to make Renji's tattoos glow, this sex was less about the magic and more about their souls. They were meant to be, and it was obvious in the way the larger of the two caressed and stroked the smaller as he was impaled on the tiger's cock.  
  
"Gin-koi…Mmm gonna…come wit' me?" He asked pressing his cheek against the fox's, his words whispered into one of those large, silver-furred, conical ears.  
  
Apparently that was all the kitsune needed between the hand on his manhood already and the way he was submerged in War's own arousal, because the fox gave a sharp bark-like noise, spurts of blue-white cream erupting across both of their stomachs. His tunnel tightened around the invading length, milking the feline's climax from him as surely as if he'd used his mouth instead.  
  
"AH!" Renji cried out, and the glow from his tattoos was sucked through his cock.  
  
Gin twitched a second time, the kind of false-climax he normally associated with Feeding, but he wasn't the one drawing on his mate's magic. Both looked blearily at the Jester's rounded belly and at the same time placed a hand on it. The kits had just initiated their first Feeding.  
  
The kitsune's pride couldn't have been more obvious as his lover held him close, pulling out and cuddling happily with a deep, throbbing purr. The redhead's strong hand ran across the swell of their kits in a steady, if gentle, rhythm that matched the content curl of the tip of his tail.  
  
After a few minutes of incredibly comfortable silence, War asked, "So…ya really like it?"  
  
"Baka!" The sleepy fox snorted. "Of course I do! I said it's perfect, di'n't I?"  
  
"...Then I got un'more presen' fer ya," the tiger replied quietly, one finger crooking.  
  
A flicker of red darted over to his kosode, which rustled as the pocket was turned inside out, and a small black, velvet box flew over to be caught in his hand. He held it carefully in his palm and flipped the lid open with his thumb to display the ring inside.  
  
"I been carryin' it 'round wit' me since New Year's lookin' fer th' right time ta give it ta ya." He admitted with a small blush.  
  
The vulpine tilted his head and blinked at it. "But...we're already mated. Ya Marked me. What's th' ring for?"  
  
"Humans don' recognize no matin' Marks," War replied, a blush staining his climax-reddened cheeks. "An'...an' I wan' every'un ta know yer taken. Tha' yer no' vulnerable ta sleazebags," his lip curled, "an' if any'un goes tryin'a hit 'r touch on ya, there _will_ be retaliation." His voice was stronger by the end, a low growl underlining that there would be some very serious consequences indeed. "I couldn' help wit' th' damn nue, but I c'n at least keep ya from bein' bugged by humans this way."  
  
"Aww...Aiko!" Still fairly high from his climax, Gin nuzzled under Renji's chin. "O' course, I'll wear it. I knew ya liked paradin' me 'round."  
  
He snatched the ring from the box and put it on, then just like the human women did with their shineys, he held out his arm to admire it, the way it glittered in the lamp light. With a smile the redhead reached out and moved the ring from where the kitsune had donned it to the correct finger. The Jester just shrugged, grinning with a small blush.  
  
Renji purred, nestling his head in the curve of his lover's shoulder to also admire his mate's new trinket. His...husband. Yes. He felt fully justified in calling him that now. He had a ring and everything. Abruptly, his own ring finger felt oddly bare, but he dismissed it. Gin didn't even really know any human traditions, let alone follow them. He'd get over this weird naked feeling.


	5. Trinkets for Travel

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Warning, FLUFF!**

The end of the week came much faster than anyone wanted, and in spite of sleeping better than he had in months, Gin couldn't shake the foreboding cloud hanging over his head. Literally. In reflection of his anxiousness over Renji going back to work, his mist cloud had taken to being a dark, ugly summer-storm grey-green, hovering just over the kitsune's head. Spending most of his time the last several days in his nest with his mate, no one had really noticed it, but the morning of the day War had to leave, the pair were in the kitchen, and the little cloud was quietly raining on the floor. Since it had been doing so for the last hour, the oven had brought a bucket over to catch the water.  
  
The redhead was stroking his mate's hair, trying to soothe him and get in as many cuddles and touches as he could before he had to go. He couldn't put it off—a new battle had just erupted on a new front, and this time he couldn't say 'fuck work' as he had been lately.  
  
"I'll be back soon," he coaxed.  
  
"B-but I'm so close...another month an' they could be here at any time...why d'ya hafta go personally? They were doin' just fine on their own b'fore ya Woke up." The kitsune grumbled, tucking his nose into his favorite spot.  
  
Renji held him closer. "That's just it…they weren't doin' fine without me…they won't…er can't…stop. I hafta go personally 'cuz I'm th' only one that c'n make 'em stop. If there ain't no wars, I c'n stay home, but...an' I'm tryin' ta wrap shit up as quick as I can," he said softly, rubbing his belly lightly. "I'll be back...'fore month's end, I promise. I wanna be 'ere when ya kit."  
  
"The end of the conflict may not be that simple, War." Ichigo's voice entered their conversation, as the King ducked through the plastic sheet hiding whatever it was he was doing in the former chapel. "I've had Famine and Conquest investigate the skirmish. I think you'd better go and do an assessment." His expression was solemn. "I don't want to disrupt your time together but this looks bad. I have an idea how to balance your time management problem, but I need an accurate reading of how fast it takes you to get there and back again. I'll wait here with Gin until you get back."  
  
The Jester bit his lip. "Now?"  
  
"Yes, it would be preferable." The orangette's eyebrows drew together in an apology.  
  
Renji's shoulders slumped, but he unwound his arms from his fox and nodded. "Alright."  
  
His wire wings flared, and between the long metal blades his magic strung in solid sheets, making them look like phoenix wings. His brought them down in a hard flap, and with the buzz of Demonic Flit, he was gone. It took nearly half an hour to get there and back, even at his top speed, and when he returned he leaned on the counter sweating, panting, and wheezing. Flit was an emergency technique, and not meant to be used for long distances nor extended periods, and even War's toughened, strong body didn't escape the effects of using it longer than it was meant to be utilized.  
  
"That's what I was afraid of. There's no help for it. I'll be right back." The King left the kitchen in search of his own quarters.  
  
Gin waddled over to his mate, "Are ya ok?" He scanned the redhead for signs of injury, physical or otherwise.  
  
One of his wings, up near the secondary joint, was bent all out of shape, and he'd torn a few tendons and ligaments, plus was now suffering extreme muscle exhaustion, but other than that he was alright. Except...the flicker of his magic, extremely low, indicated he'd run into something.  
  
"What happened!?" The kitsune ran his hands over the physical injuries, pulling from their Ley Line combined with his natural healing abilities, just like he had when the redhead had collapsed after that very first fight.  
  
Renji sighed, relaxing into the healing as he always did, though he winced when the wing screeched upon being straightened out. "Jus' as I was arrivin' some crazy fucker blew hisself up," he admitted with a little hiss. "I kinna...got caught in th' blast."  
  
The fox was about to translate his growling insults when the King returned, his own mate in tow. The blunette looked a bit worse for wear, dark shadows under his eyes but a determined cast to his chin that almost over-shadowed the way his frame looked tired.  
  
"Alright. I have a solution but it's going to take some doing. Grimm will go with you tonight and between the two of you, I want you to warp the conflict so that Conquest can take your place when you need to be back here for Gin."  
  
"I c'n do tha', but c'n he?" The Second pointed at the First, who was looking rather like he did after that three-day bender with no sleep and two pounds of coffee that one time during Finals Week.  
  
The panther scrubbed under his eyes self-consciously. "M' fuckin' fine, Red," he grunted, irritated.  
  
"He's been pushing himself." Ichigo frowned at his lover. "But he's cut his Flit time down to fifteen minutes there and back again. So, he can run for you if we need you here or if they need you there, without much disruption between the two places. So, short of giving him a Directive, I can't stop him from going."  
  
Gin looked from one vibrant feline to the other, and though part of him purred, he felt the same way as his lover. "Are ya sure ya c'n handle it, Kitty? Ya look...eh..." His ears drooped and he bit his lip in worry.  
  
"O' course," the blunette's voice was gentler as he spoke to the Jester, instinctively being kinder because the smaller male was pregnant, "I'm fuckin' Conquest. Nothin' I can't take."  
  
Then he grinned and kissed his own mate, long and hard and forcefully. When he broke for air moments later, he looked visibly perked and restored, eyes sparkling.  
  
"Mmm. See? Feelin' betta a'ready," he chuckled.  
  
The orangette made a squeak and his eyes crossed for a minute after he was released. Then he let himself shiver and the corner of his mouth curled up in an expression the First liked to call 'kissed stupid'. "Ah...yeah...Heee."  
  
The kitsune giggled. "Ok, I get it." He rolled his eyes and cuddled up to his own feline. "Big, strong, Kitty. But...don'tcha have stuff ta work out?" He turned his gaze upwards to peer at the redhead, "Especially if yer gonna hafta deal wi' idjit's like th' fucker who blew ya up. That is...if yer actually ok now."  
  
"M'fine," the Second assured with a small kiss to the top of his husband's head, "ya fixed me up good 'n proper, darlin'. Me'n Conquest c'n get it all straightened," he grinned with a purr.  
  
Grimmjow chuckled and nuzzled the King proudly. "Tha's m' man. Anyway, when we doin' this?"  
  
"If yer leavin' t'night...fer a bit...I gotta talk ta Ichi-kun 'bout som'thin'." The kitsune tried not to sound either depressed, or like he was hiding something. He failed at both, but gave the felines a pointed look that meant 'go away.'  
  
Both Horsemen weren't about to push the pregnant man. They gave each other a look, shuddered, and disappeared with a buzz to allow the two mates to talk privately. They went to the hot springs beneath the bathroom, since they were both sore and not even Grimmjow could hear anything in the kitchen over the bubbling and water, which he normally could if he wasn't blocking his extraordinary sense of hearing.  
  
"What did you need, Gin?" Ichigo recovered himself with another shiver.  
  
"What does one usually do when one gets somethin' like this?" The Jester held out his hand for the orangette to inspect his ring.  
  
The King took the pale, vaguely canine hand in his own, bringing the almost white band closer. "Wow...Re-War gave this to you?" At Gin's nod, he continued, "Well, I would give him one too. Something that matched. But I wouldn't use gold for War. It might get damaged when he's out in the field."  
  
"So, I shouldn't get him som'thin'?" The fox's ears drooped.  
  
"No, no, I didn't say that. I mean, get him one that's made out of stronger stuff...like titanium." Ichigo covered Gin's hand with his own, and pulled him out of the kitchen towards the library. "C'mon, we'll go talk to Aizen about it. He'll know more than me."  
  
When they entered the library, the Third was hovering near the ceiling. What he was doing up there, however, wasn't able to be seen because with a tiny ripple of dust an illusion completely covered it. Not that they could see the illusion from the floor anyway, as the ceiling was rather high. Still, he drifted down to meet them, smiling in that cordial way of his. That project was his private work. He refused to talk about it with anyone, not even Gin or Ulquiorra. So, the arrival of the King meant distraction was in order.  
  
"Hello there, Gin, Ichigo. Do you venture here in search of knowledge?"  
  
A little flutter of his wings in amused pale yellow let them know he was teasing a little. Since around the middle of the Jester's pregnancy, the only times the fox ever really sought him out was when he needed questions answered.  
  
The kitsune stuck his tongue out, "Grrr."  
  
"Yes, actually." Ichigo laughed, rolling his eyes at the habit everyone seemed to have picked up from his twin. He flat out denied that he did it more often than the albino. "Gin needs a present for Ren-War. Show him." The orangette nudged his companion, who promptly stuck his hand out so the butterfly could admire his new pretty-shiny.  
  
Aizen's wings turned a brilliant sunshine yellow as he looked at it, and his grin was quite pleased as he took his hand in both of his, admiring it dutifully. "How wonderful! A wedding ring. What does his look like?"  
  
"I...uh...he...um..." Gin sputtered and looked away, ears flushed and pinned back against his hair. He pulled his hand back and cuddled one of his tails.  
  
"That's why we're here. He needs to get one, but I have no idea where to start and neither does he." The King supplied with a sympathetic smile.  
  
"Oh. Oh! Well, that's easy," Aizen chuckled. "Any jewelry store can provide you with a wide selection, and the clerk can recommend certain rings based on what you tell him or her you want. I would ask why you didn't pick them out together, as many human couples do, but knowing War, he wanted it to be a surprise," he smiled softly. "Come, I know a very fine jeweler's that provides extremely sturdy objects for people just such as Renji."  
  
"I c'n go...like this?" The expectant mother looked down at his belly and back up again, his blush getting deeper. He hadn't left the Shrine since that fiasco with the bookstore, and though he no longer had to worry about the nue bothering him, the idea of being out among humans was a little daunting.  
  
Ichigo frowned for a moment, "Can't we cast a glamour on you, make you look female?"  
  
The Jester bit his lip. "I suppose, but I c'n't do it m'self anymore...m' magic's all wrapped up in Feedin' th' kits 'til they're born now."  
  
Aizen gave him a 'don't be stupid' look. "You're looking at the Master of Illusion, Gin. We both know a mere glamour is child's play for me."  
  
A snap of his fingers and the desired image shimmered into place. Naturally, he couldn't do it like that all the time, but anywhere in the Shrine it was just that easy because his wing-dust covered absolutely everything and everyone, just by being circulated around because he lived there.  
  
"It should disguise your voice as well."  
  
To try it out, the silver-haired now-human woman, hummed, and spun to get a look at herself, "It'll do. S'not as good as mine, but at least I don't hafta work on th' voice."  
  
Her nose twitched, however, as though she still had the fine, almost invisible whiskers the kitsune's natural form had. Really, she was playing down what the butterfly had done for her because she could still feel herself under the illusion, nothing was missing and everything was still reacting as it should. If she'd cast the shift herself, her tails, ears, whiskers and paws would have actually disappeared, leaving her to remember how to balance without those things on top of the extra weight of her belly.  
  
"Good," the King grinned, and closed his eyes. A subtle shift rippled through the library and his appearance changed such that he was a duplicate of Renji's human form. "There. Now we can make sure it'll fit him before we buy it."  
  
Gin giggled outright at the sound of Renji's voice speaking without an accent. "Ya sound so funny that way!"  
  
"Should I try ta sound like 'im?" The now-redhead grinned, though to the butterfly and the fox it was obvious that they weren't looking at War, it was a pretty good facsimile.  
  
"That'll help," Aizen responded with some amusement. "After all, if the clerk sees how...rough and tumble you are," he couldn't help snickering as he said it, "it will drive home the point that Renji is a fighter and needs something as tough as he is, with no overlarge gems that might catch on things."  
  
"Alright, I'll do what I can." Ichigo tried.  
  
"C'n." The ex-fox giggled again.  
  
"What?"  
  
"C'n. He drops th' middle o' it. An' 'wha' not 'what'."  
  
The King rolled his eyes, or rather, visibly he rolled the eye he could 'see' out of, at the woman who was now supposedly his wife. He shook his head trying to sort it out and failed. "I'll do m' best. Better?"  
  
"Much." The woman slipped her arm through his and leaned against him. "Now, be a big strong man an' help yer 'wifey' ta th' store ta buy ya a ring ta match mine."  
  
She was loving every minute of the complicated mess that their outing had turned into. Complications meant fun and fun was something she'd had entirely too little of since becoming War's mate. So, she grinned, actually showing her teeth since she was in a glamour, and looked up expectantly at the now-much-taller King.  
  
Aizen bit his lip hard to keep from laughing as he case his own glamor on himself. "Right this way, 'lovebirds'." He couldn't help letting out a wheeze of half-smothered laughter. Oh, this was going to be a fun outing indeed. "And you do need to carry him Ich-Renji. War carries Gin everywhere that the man doesn't float."  
  
"Uh...Tha's it." Ordinarily Ichigo had no idea if he could carry the kitsune, but he knew one way to solve the issue before it became a problem. So, in his clearest voice, he said, "For the duration of this trip, from now until we return to this place, I wish to have the same strength as Renji."  
  
As with all Directives, a ripple ran through reality and though there was no physical obvious change, when he bent to scoop the ex-fox up into his arms bridal style, both could feel that he indeed had the same strength War had. He blushed a little at the way the Jester nuzzled into his chest, but strode out the door of the library, leading the expedition to the jewelry store.  
  
Shiro walked past and waved to them with a smile. "Glad ta see ya gettin' out an' about, Foxy."  
  
"How'd ya know it was me?" The silver-haired woman asked.  
  
"Red wouldn't dare carry anyone that wasn't ya right now." The Mage laughed.  
  
Blushing furiously, Ichigo almost said something but a nudge to his chest made him look down, inadvertently, into Gin's own brand-new endowments. He sputtered a bit and almost tripped over his feet. "Whoa!"  
  
The albino slapped his knee and held his ribs, laughing harder, "See? He gets all flustered at me jus' suggestin' it!"  
  
"Too true, Shiro-kun, too true." The Jester sing-songed, grinning and waved. "Ja ne!"  
  
"Hai, hai." Ichigo's twin moved off towards the hot springs, intent on getting a soak in before Ulquiorra woke up from the nap he was taking after a round of rather furious love-making with the albino.  
  
When Shiro entered the subterranean cavern that housed the Shrine's hot spring the first thing he saw was Grimmjow relaxing, up to his chin in the comforting water, next…to…Renji!?  
  
"Th' fuck?" The Mage stared at the two felines. "I swear I jus'...y'know what...I dun wanna know. I don'. I really, really don't."  
  
Aizen smirked, hearing the commotion from the room at the back of the bath house. "Right this way."  
  
He led the way to his preferred jeweler's; Aizen might have been a butterfly, but he had two loves he didn't like to talk about. His love for sugar—he was an insect after all—and his love for shiny things that rivaled even a magpie. He had a dragon-sized hoard of gold and jewels and rings and torques and cuffs and even specially fitted armors, including some for his wings and feelers, that he'd been building for countless centuries. If anyone asked, he would give it to the dragons if they were ever revived and to any nue whose treasure ran out...but nobody was ever going to find out.  
  
Anyway, the long and the short of it was he knew the best jeweler in the city and said jeweler knew him, greeting him with a wide smile and a cheerful "Great to see you again, Mr. Aizen!"  
  
"They know ya, So-so?" Gin asked blinking at all the pretties.  
  
Ichigo-as-Renji set the fox-turned-woman down so she could inspect the cases closer. It was a fox's paradise in here with the light glinting off the collection of trinkets fit for a king, or at least a King's right hand cat. So much potential, how could she ever choose just one!?  
  
"Mr. Aizen is one of our best customers, Ma'am," the clerk said. "What are you looking for, if I may ask? I might be of some assistance. Perhaps a necklace for the lovely lady? Or a bracelet as a token of your affections?"  
  
Aizen had already moved to the 'exotic selections' counter, perusing the ear cuffs with delicate chains and platinum torques. He didn't have any of those...  
  
"Oh, no, no. My husband here, silly thing that he is, has lost his 'wedding ring'." The Jester was playing up the 'innocent doe-eyed female' role, and the redhead beside her rolled his good eye.  
  
"It ain't m' fault I gotta work wit' m' hands." He crossed his arms over his chest in what the King hoped was a fair approximation of his friend.  
  
"Ah, and might I ask what kind of work Sir does? Something quite involved, such as woodcarving, or building, or as a mechanic, something where a ring might get caught quite often?" The inquiry was entirely professional, the clerk already moving to the ring counter.  
  
"Eh, som'thin' like that...er, tha'." Gin gave him a look as Ichigo tripped over the assumed accent. Maybe he should have wished to sound like Renji too? He shrugged lightly, blushing at the disgruntled now-female.  
  
But when the clerk looked up again, she was all smiles and batting eye-lashes. "Yeah, he's pretty involved in his job. Real hands-on. D'ya have anythin' that'd survive bein' hit wi' som'thin'? Like, oh...say, a sword? Er an axe?"  
  
"Only in gauntlet-style cuffs, Ma'am," was the prompt response. This was a high-quality shop, unfazed by anything the customer might ask of them. "However, we do have some simple titanium rings that might stand up to most vigorous, high-force wear and tear if that is what you prefer. You may wish to also look at the armor selections Mr. Aizen is perusing," he nodded at the butterfly, who was ogling over a lovely torque that covered collarbone and neck all the way around, including the shoulders and over the back.  
  
"Eh..." Gin was now out of his element. Ring? Or armor? The turned-female looked up at the man posing as her husband, but all the redhead could do was shrug. So, going on the principle that one can never be too vocal about one's affections, an old kitsune ideal. The silver-haired woman grinned. "Both."  
  
The clerk smiled. "Wonderful. Let's select the ring first, as Mr. Aizen doesn't appear quite ready to move away from the armor just yet," he chuckled.  
  
Aizen straightened up, a blush taking over his cheeks. So he liked armor...that didn't make him easily distracted! Or obsessive!  
  
The ex-fox snickered as she bent to look at the display. Several caught her eye, but one in particular, a thick band inlaid with blackened tungsten in a sharp tribal flame pattern, jumped out at her. With glee, she pointed, "That one! It has ta be that one!"  
  
The King dutifully held out his hand for the clerk to check the sizing as he felt the breezing of the Jester's hidden tails.  
  
The clerk grinned when it was a perfect fit. "Lovely! Would Sir and Madam like to check over the armor now? We have many lovely styles and kinds, allowing for maximum mobility and strength. Everything from wrist cuffs to full-body armors."  
  
"F-full-body? Could it...uh..." She blushed, fearing that she was giving herself away. Ichigo-as-Renji nodded, prompting her to continue, "Uh...he works in some real nasty type places, an' he's goin'...uh...overseas...t'night. So, if we find one...he c'n wear it now? Like right away?"  
  
A light appeared in the shopkeeper's eyes, and his smile curled just a little too much, revealing sharp points on his eye-teeth, but in the blink of an eye the effect was gone, "Of course. We have the ability to properly fit all armors right here on the premises. Mr. Aizen has utilized the service a number of times and can vouch for our quality."  
  
Gin looked to Aizen, then back at the clerk, trying to figure out how to make sure her mate had room for his demonic appendages while still maintaining the cover that they were only a fairly well-off human couple expecting their first child. She worried her lip, and decided to simply bite the bullet with another tried and true kitsune method of negotiation, lying.  
  
"My husband has ta wear this costume, y'see, He's got wire wings, a tail, fake claws glued ta his fingers an' toes, horns that stick outta his head here," she gestured, "an' animatronic cat ears. They move up an' down, like this." She mimicked the motion of her own ears for emphasis. "Y'sure ya c'n have it ready now?"  
  
The clerk smiled warmly, and briefly there was a flicker of something not quite...human to his appearance. Another flash of too-long teeth, unnaturally bright eyes, but just like the first time it was gone again so quick it could very well have been a trick of the light. "Positive, Ma'am. We make such adjustments for costumes frequently. Again, Mr. Aizen can attest how well we compensate for such things. We made him a lovely helmet a few years ago with particular hollow horn-like protrusions to accommodate false feelers he was wearing for a booth worker at a convention."  
  
"Gaming convention," Aizen supplied. "I was working showing for the Killer Insectoid game."  
  
"Ah yes. For a release show he needed armor to fit the feelers, as he had to appear both with and without armor for the performance," the clerk continued smoothly. "We can easily accommodate wings and ears."  
  
"Thank ya so much! The metal has ta be flexible, has ta breathe, but able ta be insulated. He's gotta wear it all over th' world, an' when he goes ta places like Russia he wears a thickly furred body suit. So it's gotta go under th' armor." She wandered over, past Aizen, carefully looking over each display.  
  
"That is quite a tall order. You may need specially adjusted metal," the man informed as he came from behind the counter, gliding over to the case. "Steel is inappropriate, as even spring steel is much too snappish, and gold too soft. Iron is too heavy, but perhaps bronze...but no, that is too weak. It may need to be adjusted titanium, or a titanium-steel aggregate."  
  
Of course, 'adjusted' was a disguised term for 'magicked'. Something such as 'breathable metal' generally required a little magic infused into it to prevent the person inside from overheating. Magic might be mostly lost, but some could use it unconsciously, and did it to their advantage all the time.  
  
"Adjusted?" The disguised kitsune raised an eyebrow. She didn't dare glance at the butterfly now, because if her suspicions were correct doing so would be to sign her death warrant. "In that case, I'll take this one, if ya c'n 'adjust' it now." She gestured to a full set, from head to foot, her tiger would be covered from attack.  
  
"Wonderful." The man smiled again, unlocking the case. "If Sir would like to put the armor on, we can size it now. And Mr. Aizen, I noticed you were rather interested in the Egyptian torques...?"  
  
"...Yes, the platinum one," Aizen gave in with a little sigh. He just couldn't resist.  
  
"It flatters your complexion wonderfully," the employee replied as he handed it over.  
  
Ichigo-as-Renji stepped over, and allowed the strange clerk to fit the armor to him. Holding perfectly still for the adjustments and sizing and other mundane aspects of fitting while Gin fussed over him, checking flexibility, pushing and pressing to check the strength, and finally seeming satisfied, nodding at the shopkeeper so the slender man could make his own 'adjustments'.  
  
The man ran one finger up the side of each armor piece, a subtle shine encompassing it that seemed to shift, almost like opalescence, except...darker. Like the shine of oil atop of puddle of water. Once each piece had this 'adjustment', Ichigo-as-Renji felt noticeably cooler, as the armor was now breathable and flexible more than it had been.  
  
"Feel free to test it further while I adjust Mr. Aizen's torque," he invited as he went to the butterfly and fitted the metal back plate so it wouldn't hit his wings when it was fastened, putting a little bend in the specific spots where the metal met his primary wing joints.  
  
As soon as the slender clerk was out of what Gin assumed was hearing range, he leaned into Ichigo and asked, "C'n ya mark it? Y'know color the metal?"  
  
The King grinned, this time looking exactly like the red haired tiger. "I know exactly what you want, Gin."  
  
Before the salesman came back, they removed the armor and packaged it, a subtle ripple going through reality at a murmured Directive that no one but the kitsune could hear.  
  
The clerk smiled at them and rang everything up. It was a rather high total, and he asked if he should put it on Aizen's tab or if Gin would like to pay upfront.  
  
"I think this'll cover it, ne?" The Jester pulled a bauble of blood red apparently out from between her breasts, though really it came from the center of his mist cloud. Kitsune stones were rare, precious, and only given away when the actions of the recipient warranted a vast sum of money. He was also testing the waters, because he was almost certain that the 'human' in front of them would know exactly what he was being offered.  
  
The clerk's composure faltered for a second, crossed with a look of such extreme want it was nearly palpable before he composed himself again and cleared his throat. "I...that, Ma'am, I believe would be too much. And we both know it would be nearly impossible to divide such a...payment...as fairly between all of the crafters of your purchase as it should be."  
  
One of the only reasons this 'human' was still around was his astonishing ability to suppress his darker, greedier side. He would've been found out long ago had his sense of honor and self-control been any less than it was.  
  
"Believe me," She allowed her glamour to flicker ever so slightly, by blowing on her hand. "What yer givin' us...this ain't enough."  
  
The clerk swallowed…hard. "...There still is no way to properly divide it between shop, jeweler, and blacksmith," he protested weakly. "Human coin would be easier to divvy up."  
  
"Then I can solve that."  
  
It was nearly time, and they still had to get back to the Shrine. So, Ichigo gave Gin a look that clearly stated, 'if you're wrong and I fuck up this guy's life, you're in deep trouble.' The kitsune nodded at the unspoken comment, and the King took the stone in his hand. Again reality rippled, and where there had been a stone, was now a check, made out to the jeweler's shop.  
  
"Will that fix the issue?"  
  
The Third smiled, and the shopkeeper took the paper, with a deep bow, the glint of excitement in his eye unmistakeable now. "As always, Mr. Aizen, it is a pleasure doing business with you and your friends."  
  
"Also with you, Tsukishima-san." The butterfly answered, holding the door for the others to take their packages and leave.  
  
A demon, a kitsune, and a whatever-the-hell-the-redhead-had-been-but-wasn't-human...it was certainly getting interesting around town these days. Perhaps setting up shop here had been a good idea after all, the vampire supposed, taking out a small black book to peruse until someone else came into the store. Feeling a bit peckish, the pale not-human wondered if maybe he couldn't sample the next person. Surely with a kitsune in the area, Hunting was allowed. That thought made him smile again, and he settled in to read his book.  
  
Back at the Shrine, the felines were getting ready to go. The moment the trio entered the grounds, their glamour disappeared so as not to frustrate their living mates or the caretakers any further than they already had.  
  
"Renji…" Gin called, uncharacteristically soft-spoken. "I…uh…Ichi-kun said I should give ya som'thin' since ya gave me that ring." He twisted it unconsciously.  
  
"Yeah?" The tiger's tail curled in curiosity.  
  
"Here." The Jester couldn't think of anything special to say, but he blushed furiously, as he held out the package that was topped with the small ring box identical to the one War had used to keep the ring the kitsune now wore.  
  
Opening the box, it took Renji's breath away. "Thank ya, Koi! It's perfect."  
  
"Heh. That's what I said."  
  
Then the tiger opened the other half of his present. "Oh…wow…"  
  
Over his shoulder Grimmjow whistled as the rising moonlight glinted off the enhanced and 'adjusted' titanium. Burgonet, modified to allow for the growth of the tiger's horns; breast plate, with slits in the back for his wings; spaulders, gauntlets, cuisse, and greaves. He'd wear modern steel-toed combat boots if he didn't have his paws out, and leather gloves for his hands with nicks in the tips of the fingers for his claws.  
  
"Well, put it on Red!" Shiro called, with an arm around his mate. They were there to see the other two off, as Ulquiorra had just woken up from his nap.  
  
"Alrigh'." War grinned and Flitted to their room.  
  
He was back moments later, fully dressed, and manifested, like the great god he had been in ancient times. The armor fit like a glove, decorated with the same intense dark lines as War's tattoos laid over the gleaming silver of the titanium.  
  
"It really is perfect, Koi." Renji repeated, taking his mate in his arms and kissing the fecund vulpine soundly. "I'll be back b'fore ya know it, an' I'll be safe an' sound thanks ta this...an' th' armor'll help too." He bent to plant a kiss on the Jester's belly, as the gathered Court laughed at his lame joke, "Be good, y'hear. Don't go keepin' yer mom up, an' don't go nowhere 'til I get back."  
  
He rested his left hand, the tungsten and titanium ring glinting on his finger, over the swell, smiling proudly when he received a kick to his palm in response. Then he turned, gave the rest a wave, and Flitted off, wings discharging crimson electricity through the air as he went.  
  
"Heh, someday, Kitten." Grimmjow purred in the King's ear. "That'll be us."  
  
"Yeah, right." Ichigo scoffed, "Now, git. Before I miss you too much to let you go."  
  
They exchanged a quick kiss and Conquest followed War. As soon as the blunette was out of sight, similar lightning tracing his Flit-steps, the orangette discovered he had a growth on his arm. He raised an eyebrow at the fox, but merely sighed and flexed his arm so the vulpine could feel the bunch and twist of his muscles.

~ **End Part 2** ~


End file.
